Crew Trireme

1 crew

1.1 trierarch
1.2 deck crew
1.3 rowers
1.4 marines

crew

the total complement (plērōma) of ship 200. these divided 180 rowers (eretai), provided ship s motive power, deck crew headed trierarch, , marine detachment. crew of athenian triremes, ships extension of democratic beliefs. rich , poor rowed alongside each other. victor davis hanson argues served larger civic interest of acculturating thousands worked in cramped conditions , under dire circumstances.

during peloponnesian war, there few variations typical crew layout of trireme. 1 drastically reduced number of oarsmen, use ship troop transport. thranites row top benches while rest of space, below, filled hoplites. in variation, athenians used 10 or trireme transporting horses. such triremes had 60 oarsmen, , rest of ship horses.

the trireme designed day-long journeys, no capacity stay @ sea overnight, or carry provisions needed sustain crew overnight. there were, however, storage facilities onboard large enough provide each crewman 2 gallons (7.6 l) of fresh drinking water need stay hydrated each day. meant aboard dependent upon land , peoples of whereever landed each night supplies. entail traveling eighty kilometres in order procure provisions. in peloponnesian war, beached athenian fleet caught unawares on more 1 occasion, while out looking food (battle of syracuse , battle of aegospotami). cities visited, found needing provide large numbers of sailors, did not mind business - though in charge of fleet had careful not deplete them of resources.

trierarch

the ship s captain known trierarch (triērarchos). wealthy athenian citizen (usually class of pentakosiomedimoi), responsible manning, fitting out , maintaining ship liturgical year @ least; ship belonged athens. triērarchia 1 of liturgies of ancient athens; although afforded great prestige, constituted great financial burden, in 4th century, shared 2 citizens, , after 397 bc assigned special boards.

deck crew

the deck , command crew (hypēresia) headed helmsman, kybernētēs, experienced seaman , commander of vessel. these experienced sailors found on upper levels of triremes. other officers bow lookout (prōreus or prōratēs), boatswain (keleustēs), quartermaster (pentēkontarchos), shipwright (naupēgos), piper (aulētēs) gave rowers rhythm , 2 superintendents (toicharchoi), in charge of rowers on each side of ship. constituted these sailors experience combination of superior rowing skill (physical stamina and/or consistency in hitting full stroke) , previous battle experience. sailors in thirties , forties. in addition, there ten sailors handling masts , sails.

rowers

in ancient navies, crews composed not of galley slaves of free men. in athenian case in particular, service in ships integral part of military service provided lower classes, thētai, although metics , hired foreigners accepted. although has been argued slaves formed part of rowing crew in sicilian expedition, typical athenian trireme crew during peloponnesian war consisted of 80 citizens, 60 metics , 60 foreign hands. indeed, in few emergency cases slaves used crew ships, these deliberately set free, before being employed. instance, tyrant dionysius of syracuse once set slaves of syracuse free man galleys, employing freedmen, otherwise relied on citizens , foreigners oarsmen.

in athenian navy, crews enjoyed long practice in peacetime, becoming skilled professionals , ensuring athens supremacy in naval warfare. rowers divided according positions in ship thranitai, zygitai, , thalamitai. according excavated naval inventories, lists of ships equipment compiled athenian naval boards, there were:

62 thranitai in top row (thranos means deck ). rowed through parexeiresia, outrigger enabled inclusion of third row of oars without significant increase height , loss of stability of ship. greater demands placed upon strength , synchronization on of other 2 rows.
54 zygitai in middle row, named after beams (zygoi) on sat.
54 thalamitai or thalamioi in lowest row, (thalamos means hold ). position uncomfortable, being underneath colleagues , exposed water entering through oarholes, despite use of askōma, leather sleeve through oar emerged.

most of rowers (108 of 170 - zygitai , thalamitai), due design of ship, unable see water , therefore, rowed blindly, therefore coordinating rowing required great skill , practice. not known how done, there literary , visual references use of gestures , pipe playing convey orders rowers. in sea trials of reconstruction olympias, evident difficult problem solve, given amount of noise full rowing crew generated. in aristophanes play frogs 2 different rowing chants can found: ryppapai , o opop , both corresponding quite sound , motion of oar going through full cycle.

marines

a varying number of marines (epibatai), 10–20, carried aboard boarding actions. @ battle of salamis, each athenian ship recorded have 14 hoplites , 4 archers (usually scythian mercenaries) on board, herodotus narrates chiots had 40 hoplites on board @ lade , persian ships carried similar number. reflects different practices between athenians , other, less professional navies. whereas athenians relied on speed , maneuverability, highly trained crews had advantage, other states favored boarding, in situation closely mirrored 1 developed during first punic war. grappling hooks used both weapon , towing damaged ships (ally or enemy) shore. when triremes alongside each other, marines either spear enemy or hop across , cut enemy down swords. presence of many heavily armed hoplites on deck tended destabilize ship, epibatai seated, rising carry out boarding action. hoplites belonged middle social classes, came next trierarch in status aboard ship.